Salsoul Records

Biography

Operating out of NYC, SalSoul was one of the foremost and influential disco labels of its time. Having dabbled in latino music through their Mericana imprint, the Cayre brothers, Joseph, Kenneth and Stanley, founded SalSoul in 1974 taking the name from a Joe Bataan album previously licensed to CBS. Salsoul was literally a combination of ‘salsa’ and ‘soul’ and in an inspired move, the brothers immediately put together a house band known as the SalSoul Orchestra.
Drummer Earl Young, bassist Ronnie Baker, guitarists Norman Harris and Bobby Eli, keyboard players Bunny Sigler and Ron Kersey,

Operating out of NYC, SalSoul was one of the foremost and influential disco labels of its time. Having dabbled in latino music through their Mericana imprint, the Cayre brothers, Joseph, Kenneth and Stanley, founded SalSoul in 1974 taking the name from a Joe Bataan album previously licensed to CBS. Salsoul was literally a combination of ‘salsa’ and ‘soul’ and in an inspired move, the brothers immediately put together a house band known as the SalSoul Orchestra.
Drummer Earl Young, bassist Ronnie Baker, guitarists Norman Harris and Bobby Eli, keyboard players Bunny Sigler and Ron Kersey, vibes man Vince Montana Jr and conga player/band leader Larry Washington had all played on Gamble & Huff’s Philadelphia productions and would provide SalSoul’s signature sound.
Unable to secure a major label distribution deal, the brothers managed to get legendary DJ Frankie Crocker to support the debut single ‘SalSoul Hustle’ and the label was up and running. A succession of disco classics followed, including the first commercially available 12” single, Double Exposure’s ‘Ten Percent’ and recordings by First Choice, Candido, Carol Williams, Inner Life, Skyy and Loleatta Holloway. The label was unable to ride the disco backlash, although it continued until 1984.
In 1992 the label was revived and interest in its catalogue bloomed when Holloway’s ‘Love Sensation’ was sampled and became an integral part of Black Box’s ‘Ride On Time and Mark Mark & The Funky Bunch’s ‘Good Vibrations’. Particularly popular throughout Europe, the SalSoul catalogue has since been sampled and remixed on numerous occasions.
The SalSoul master catalogue was acquired by BMG in 2015 as part of the Verse Music Group.
Includes: Salsoul Orchestra, Joe Bataan, Double Exposure, Loleatta Holloway, First Choice, Carol Williams, Skyy, Silvetti, Jimmy Caster, Charo, Aurra, Eddie Holman, Candido, Funk Deluxe, Bunny Sigler & Candido